Total immersion
Total immersion is a recent new approach to reviewing the flotation properties and the hydrodynamics of the human body when swimming.
Principles It relies on several basic principles: The body should be as streamlined as possible, by maximising length, and minimising frontal area. This means, for example, that body rotation during front crawl is emphasised, as is maximising the body length by keeping the non-recovering arm extended for as long as possible.The head is one of the most dense body parts on one balancing side of the most buoyant parts (the lungs). Therefore the placement of the head is all important in reducing drag and in improving speed. It should be kept under the surface at most times during the stroke.Emphasis is placed on developing skill and awareness of the dynamics of swimming, over and above the development of simple strength and power.
Criticisms The approach is not without its critics, who oppose what they see as the movement away from the essential primacy of cultivating strength and endurance.
References See A website on this approach,and an independent testimonial See Total Immersion : A Revolutionary Way To Swim Better And Faster by Terry Laughlin (1996) ISBN 068481885X
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